Nikita Shalamov

Carrefour SA - is a French retail company and operator of a retail chain of the same name. It is headquartered in Massy (Eçon).

History

The first Carrefour store (not a hypermarket) opened in 1960 in the suburbs of Annecy, near a crossroads. Today it is the smallest chain store in the world. The group was created in 1958 by Marcel Fournier, Denis Defforet and Jacques Deffori, who attended several seminars in the United States under the direction of Bernardo Trujillo, the "Pope of Retailing.

The Carrefour group was the first in Europe to open a hypermarket, a large supermarket and a department store under one roof. They opened their first hypermarket on June 15, 1963 in Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois, near Paris.

In April 1976, Carrefour launched a line under the private label Produits libres (free products - libre means "free in the sense of freedom, not "free") including fifty food products including butter, cookies (crackers and cookies), milk and pasta sold in unmarked white packages at significantly lower prices. Today it is the chain's smallest store in the world.

In 1999 it merged with Promodès, better known for its Continent (hypermarket) or Champion (supermarket) retail stores, one of its main competitors in the French market. Carrefour came out on top among European retailers after its merger with Promodès in early 2000.

In September 2009, Carrefour updated its logo.

In May 2011, Carrefour reviewed its business situation amid stagnant growth and growing competition in France from competitors, including Casino Guichard-Perrachon SA, and decided to invest 1.5 billion euros ($2.22 billion) to introduce the Carrefour Planet supermarket concept in Western Europe.

In April 2015, Brazilian businessman Abilio Diniz announced that he was negotiating to raise his 5.07 percent stake in Carrefour and had the support of shareholders to take a seat on the board of directors.

On June 9, 2017, the board of directors elected Alexander Bompar as Carrefour's new chairman and chief executive officer, effective July 18, 2017.

In 2017, Carrefour began an experimental collaboration with small French startup Expliceat. Expliceat built a commercial plant that is designed to shred leftover bread. Expliceat leases the plant to commercial bakeries and then uses the crumb to bake cookies, muffins, and pancakes.

In January 2018, Alexander Bompar announced the company's strategic plan called "Carrefour 2022," which aims to make Carrefour a "food transition leader for all." The plan includes measures to improve food and packaging sustainability, limit food waste, develop organic products, e-commerce partnerships and an annual investment of €2 billion from 2018, as well as organizational and cost-cutting measures.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Carrefour is the first retailer to join the C'est qui le Patron? initiative to allocate additional COVID-19-related revenue to support people affected by the current situation. According to co-founder Nicolas Chabannes, 100,000 euros were paid, then 50,000 euros each week until May 11.

Carrefour's board of directors decided to reduce by 50% the dividend proposed for 2019. The dividend is now €0.23 per share (versus €0.46 per share).

By the end of the year, Alexandre Bompard and all members of the Carrefour Group board of directors have decided to give up 25% of their payout. These savings will be used to finance solidarity actions for the company's employees both in France and abroad.

Alexandre Bompard decided to give up 25% of his fixed salary for a period of two months. To acknowledge his staff in this area, he decided to offer an exceptional bonus of €1,000 net to 85,000 employees in France.

Owners and management

As of February 2009, 85% of the retailer's shares were in free float, with French businessman Bernard Arnault having the largest stake in the company (13.6%).

Lars Olofsson is the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Carrefour has 15,130 stores (located in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, North Africa and Asia) operating under different brands, including hypermarkets Carrefour, supermarkets Carrefour Market, small stores Shopi and Marché Plus, low-cost Dia, Ed, cash-and-carry stores Promocash.

Total headcount is over 400 thousand people. Carrefour's revenue in 2007 was €82.15 billion (€77.9 billion in 2006), net profit was €1.87 billion (€2.27 billion).

The chain's revenues in 2008 were €97.6 billion.

Carrefour's 2016 profits fell 3.8% to €2.351 billion ($2.5 billion).

It provides collection, landfill, recycling and special waste services to local authorities and industrial and commercial clients in the UK. As of 2017, it was the UK's second-largest waste-management company. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

History

The company, which was originally engaged in the removal and sale of ashes and clinker from London power stations, was founded in Wembley by Richard Henry Biffa as Richard Biffa Limited, in 1912.

In 1958 Richard Henry Biffa's grandson, Richard Charles Biffa, joined the business and, after becoming general manager in 1963, grew the business organically and by acquisition.The business was acquired by British Electric Traction in 1971 and by Severn Trent for £212 million in 1991. It acquired the American-owned UK Waste for £380 million in 2000.

Severn Trent demerged the company to a consortium formed by Global Infrastructure Partners, Montagu Private Equity & Uberior Co-Investment in 2008. It acquired recycling firm Greenstar UK for £135 million in 2010.

The company was re-listed on the London Stock Exchange on 17 October 2016.

Operations

Biffa cover 95% of the UK. The company runs two Material Recycling Facilities (MRF).

Prosecutions for illegal activities

Biffa has been prosecuted for the following breaches of environmental waste export laws:

2018-2019

The company was convicted of four breaches of waste shipment regulations during the period 2018-2019.

2020

The company was convicted of attempting to export used nappies and materials illegally.

2021

In 2021, the company was found guilty in a case brought about by The Environment Agency, having attempted to illegally export banned household waste items, including plastic bags, tins, clothing and condoms - incorrectly identified as waste paper. The company was fined £1.5m, and severely rebuked by Judge Shane Collery QC, who described Biffa as "having shown no contrition" for this crime, referring to their actions as "reckless, bordering on deliberate".